Jtjlt 8, 1909. 



The Wc^y Florists' Review, 



popular. Lambert's new, pure white 

 rambler, Trier, which shows its golden 

 anthers prominently, is also likely to be 

 a great favorite in 1910. 



Freesia«« 



The first arrivals of freesias are com- 

 ing to hand and a batch should be placed 

 ill pans or flats without delay. Prob- 

 ably many country florists annually grow 

 their own bulbs. This is easily done by 

 sowing a few flats of the small bulblets 

 moderately thick each season. These 

 will develop into good sized flowering 

 bulbs for the next season, but it hardly 

 pays to carry over bulbs a second year, 

 when the growth is cut away to the soil 

 to give the necessary length of stem to 

 the flowers; even if the bulbs are large, 

 they will not amount to much the fol- 

 lowing season. 



The best freesias we have ever seen 

 were grown in 10-inch and 12-inch pans 

 and stood on shelves in a carnation house 

 to flower, saucers being used to assist in 

 keeping the compost moist. Flats four 

 inches deep are also suitable. A good 

 soil consists of one part rotted cow ma- 

 nure to three parts fibrous loam, adding 

 a little leaf-mold and plenty of sand. 

 Do not use any bone or chemical fertil- 

 izer. Water well and place in a frame 

 where they can be darkened. No more 

 water will be required until growth 

 starts. 



The Compost Pile. 



A common sight during the summer 

 months in florists ' establishments is a 

 mass of rank looking weeds, which being 

 examined are found to come from the 

 compost pile, carefully prepared the pre- 

 vious fall or early spring. It is no un- 

 common occurrence to see scythes called 

 into requisition to mow down the vig- 

 orous weeds, in order that thg loam can 

 be reached at all. This is poor policy. 

 The weeds are extracting the nourishment 

 from the soil intended for your green- 

 house plants, and it is surely just as nec- 

 essary to keep the compost pile clean as 

 the land where your crops are growing. 



Some growers are already preparing 

 to plant their carnations and, where such 

 early lifting is done, it behooves us to 

 have the soil ready for the benches. The 

 compost should be chopped down and 

 turned over, to thoroughly mix the ma- 

 nure and loam. A dressing of fine bone 

 can still be given, although this would 

 have been better applied six weeks ago. 

 Probably your mums are all planted, or 

 soon will be, but it will not be long be- 

 fore the bulbs arrive and it is time to 

 prepare a pile for them. Do not add 

 any bone for bulbs, however. There is 

 no better fertilizer than old, thoroughly 

 decayed manure, the kind which will 

 crumble up in the hand. 



Brief Reminders. 



Transplant digitalis, campanulas and 

 other biennials on cloudy days when the 

 ground is moist. 



Look over the bouvardias in the field 

 and pinch out the tops of the shoots. 



Lay show pelargoniums on their sides 

 to allow the wood to become thoroughly 

 ripened. 



Keep a moist atmosphere among palms, 

 and hose the foliage freely twice a day. 



Cultivate all outdoor crops constantly, 

 especially after rains. Plants wiU not 

 thrive in baked soil. 



It is too early to sow pansies or myo- 

 sotis, but not too late to start many 

 otaer perennials and biennials. 



Ficus elastica, crotons, dracsenas and 

 dieffenbachias can be easily rooted by 



Peony Eugene Verdier. 



ringing and mossing the tops now. Keep 

 the moss constantly wet. 



Cuttings of Hydrangea paniculata and 

 arborescens will root freely now in a 

 close frame. 



Sowings of Shirley poppies, sweet alys- 

 sum, candytuft, mignonette and clarkia 

 can still be made putdoors. 



Save seeds from the best aquilegias and 

 sow as soon as gathered. 



See that begonias, gloxinias, tyda;as, 

 gesneras and achimines have necessary 

 shade to prevent burning of the foliage. 



Cut the gladioli as soon as the first 

 flowers open. The others will expand in 

 water. 



Pick sweet peas when the flowers are 

 dry, to prevent spotting. Keep seed pods 

 carfefuUy removed. 



Put supports to some of the later 

 dahlias. The dwarf varieties will hardly 

 need any. 



Get bench repairs pushed ahead as 

 soon as the old compost is wheeled out. 



THE VERDIERS. 



Illustrated in this issue are the two 

 peonies, Eugene Verdier and Eugenie 

 Verdier, each raised by the celebrated 

 Frenchman, Calot, of which John M. 

 Good said in the Review of June 24 : 



"Eugene Verdier — Strong, vigorous 

 grower; enormous buds and flowers; in 

 color resembles Albert Crousse; it being 

 a late bloomer, the rains caught it and 

 some of the buds were scalded and did 

 not open properly; when well done is 

 grand. 



"Eugenie Verdier — This is the variety 

 that the Hollanders grew for years as 

 L 'Indispensable • then they thought it 

 was Eugene Verdier, and when they 

 found the true Eugene Verdier they dis- 



carded this variety altogether, not know- 

 ing what it was. How foolish I It will 

 make Eugene Verdier step some to 

 eclipse it. It is a strong grower, free 

 bloomer, flowers of immense size, deli- 

 cate blush, almost white, and blooms a 

 week earlier than the male namesake. It 

 has waterlily-shaped flowers, while Eu- 

 gene Verdier is globular. A most superb 

 variety, distinct and beautiful." 



SELECTION OF PEONIES. 



I intend to grow a small patch of 

 peonies. Kindly name the best six varie- 

 ties, mostly white and pink. When is 

 the best time to plant them and how far 

 apart ? C. M. 



The best time to plant peonies is in 

 September. The ground should be well 

 enriched and deeply plowed. Plant in 

 rows four feet apart and allow three 

 feet between the plants, where they are 

 to remain several years. The following 

 varieties are inexpensive and strictly 

 first-class: White, Festiva Maxima, 

 Mme. de Verneville, Baroness Schroeder, 

 Mons. Dupont ; rosy pink, Duchesse de 

 Nemours (Guerin), M. Jules Elie, L'Es- 

 perance; dark red, Mons. M. Cahuzac; 

 light pink. Marguerite Gerard, Pottsi 

 alba (Eugene Verdier) and Mme. Emile 

 Lemoine. The foregoing varieties do 

 not all flower at one time, a considera- 

 tion if they are wanted for cutting. 



W. N. Craig. 



New Rochelle, N. Y.— W. S. Hitch- 

 cock, Inc., is the name of a corporation 

 formed July 1, with a capital stock of 

 $15,000, to do a retail flower business. 

 The incorporators are Wilbur S. Hitch- 

 cock. Frank Davidson and others. 



